Spotify, the global online music streaming platform, announced it paid over N25 billion in royalties to Nigerian artists in 2023, a figure that doubles the amount from the previous year and marks a 2,500 percent increase since 2017.
Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, Spotify’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, shared these details in a statement, noting they were part of Spotify’s recently launched annual report, “Loud & Clear.” The report aims to enhance transparency in the music industry by providing data on Spotify’s royalty payments and explaining the global streaming economy, including the key players and processes involved.
Muhutu-Remy highlighted the significant growth in the number of Nigerian artists earning over N10 million from royalties, which has quadrupled since 2018. She revealed that more than half of these royalties were earned by independent artists or labels, demonstrating the democratizing power of streaming.
In 2023, Spotify users discovered Nigerian artists nearly 950 million times, with these artists accounting for over 80 percent of the tracks featured on Nigeria’s daily top 50 charts. Additionally, more than 1,400 Nigerian artists were featured on Spotify’s editorial playlists.
“The substantial increase in royalties that Nigerian artists have earned on our platform underscores their talent, creativity, and global appeal. We are proud to amplify their voices and fuel the Nigerian music revolution,” said Muhutu-Remy. “As a leader in the streaming economy, we are committed to supporting African creators and ensuring their sustainable income, and we will continue to invest in African artists to maintain this momentum.”
Muhutu-Remy also noted a genre revolution within Nigeria’s music scene, as Spotify data showed significant growth in popularity across local genres. Highlife, Igbo Pop, and Fuji experienced notable increases in listenership over the past year, with Highlife up by 224 percent, Igbo Pop by 303 percent, and Fuji by 187 percent. The first quarter of 2024 saw these genres grow by 240 percent, 270 percent, and 175 percent respectively, compared to the first quarter of 2023.
Fuji King K1 De Ultimate, Umu Obiligbo energizing Highlife, and Phyno leading in Igbo Pop were highlighted as top artists. Top tracks included Adewale Ayuba’s “Koloba Koloba” for Fuji, Chief Osita Osadebe’s “Nwanem Ebezina” for Highlife, and KCee’s “Ojapiano” for Igbo Pop.
Muhutu-Remy added that while men predominantly listen to local music genres—85 percent for Fuji, 89 percent for Highlife, and 81 percent for Igbo Pop—the majority of listeners across these genres are from the Gen Z demographic, aged 18 to 24. She noted that Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Katsina are the top streaming cities for these local genres.
Finally, she highlighted the top five exported music genres from Nigeria as Afrobeats, Nigerian Pop, Afropop, Nigerian Hip Hop, and Afro Rhythms and Blues.
